John Bible Study - Lesson 36

John Bible Study - Lesson 36

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 13:31-38 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. ³² If God is glorified in him,^[a] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

John 13:31-38 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man^[a] to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. ³² And since God receives glory because of the Son,^[b] he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. ³³ Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. ³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

³⁶ Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”

³⁷ “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”

³⁸ Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·        Judas leaves to betray Jesus.

·        Jesus tells the other disciples that it is time for Him to enter His glory.

·        Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man.

·        Jesus again tells His disciples He will only be with them a little while longer.

·        He also tells His disciples that they will not be able to go with Him.

·        Jesus commands His disciples to love one another.

·        Jesus explains that by the love the disciples have for one another the world will be able to tell that they are His followers and that they have been transformed.

·        Peter asks Jesus where He will be going.

·        Jesus tells Peter that he can’t come with Him now but will join Him later.

·        Peter wants to know why he can’t go with Jesus.

·        Peter tells Jesus that he is ready to die for Him.

·        Jesus foretells that Peter will deny Him three times.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        The time has come for Jesus to be betrayed by Judas, then arrested, and then willingly suffer and die on the cross.

·        Jesus’ death on the cross means that: We can receive eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In this statement, Jesus declares the purpose for which God sent Him. Therefore, His birth, death, and resurrection provide sinners the only way to heaven. It is not possible to earn our way to heaven through our own works.  We are totally dependent on God’s work for salvation.

·        When Jesus says He will enter into His glory He is saying that His work on the cross will receive honor, respect and praise. Jesus will also return to heaven with the Father receiving glory at His rightful place seated at the right hand of God. "God's right hand" refers to the Messiah, Jesus seated at the right hand of God which exemplifies His equal position, honor, power and authority with God.

John 1:1-4 New International Version (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

·        Even while seated at the right hand of God, Jesus continues to help His followers:  

Romans 8:34 New International Version (NIV)

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

·        Jesus referring to Himself as the “Son of Man” explains the nature of Jesus the man and the nature of Jesus as God. Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man” 88 times in the New Testament.

The two natures of Jesus are referred to as the Hypostatic Union:

(1) Christ has two distinct natures: humanity and deity

(2) There is no mixture or intermingling of the two natures

(3) Although He has two natures, Christ is one Person

(4) Jesus is fully man and fully God

Because of Jesus’ unique nature He was the only one who could take on the

sins of the world and be the acceptable sacrifice to pay for them:

Mark 10:45 Amplified Bible (AMP)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Romans 3:25-26 The Message (MSG)

^25-26 God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Hebrews 10:11-14 Living Bible (TLB)

¹¹ Under the old agreement the priests stood before the altar day after day offering sacrifices that could never take away our sins. ¹² But Christ gave himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice for all time and then sat down in the place of highest honor at God’s right hand, ¹³ waiting for his enemies to be laid under his feet. ¹⁴ For by that one offering he made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom he is making holy.

·        Jesus conquered the power over death and He alone gives us new life. By following Him we too will enter into His glory.

·        God’s nature demonstrates His glory. So who God is and what He is able to do is the demonstration of His Glory.

Attributes of God that reveal His glory:

Wisdom:  

God’s unlimited perspective and wise counsel leading to ultimate good  and perfect judgment.

Infinitude: 

God knows no boundaries. He is without measure.  

Sovereignty: 

This is “the attribute by which He rules His entire creation.”  

Holiness: 

This is the attribute that sets God apart from all created beings. It refers to His majesty and His perfect moral purity.  

Trinity: 

Though the actual word is not used in the Bible, the truth of God revealing Himself in three persons is included. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all called God, given worship as God, exist eternally, and are involved in doing things only God could do. Although, God reveals Himself in three persons, God is One and cannot be divided. All are involved completely whenever One of the Three is active. 

Omniscience: 

“God possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn.” Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide anything from God. 

Faithfulness: 

Everything that God has promised will come to pass. His faithfulness guarantees this fact. He does not lie. What He has said in the Bible about Himself is true. Jesus even said that He is the Truth. This is extremely important for the followers of Jesus because it is on His faithfulness that our hope of eternal life rests. He will honor His promise that our sins will be forgiven and that we will live forever with Him.

Love: 

Love is such an important part of God’s character that the apostle John wrote, “God is love.” This means that God holds the well-being of others as His primary concern. For a full definition of love, read 1 Corinthians 13. To see love in action, study the life of Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of others is the ultimate act of love. God’s love is not a love of emotion but of action. His love gives freely to the object of its affection, those who choose to follow His son Jesus.

Omnipotence: 

Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. He does allow His creatures to have some power, but this in no way diminishes His own. “He expends no energy that must be replenished.”  

Self-existence: 

When Moses asked who he was talking to in the burning bush, God said, “I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.” God has no beginning or end. He just exists. Nothing else in all the universe is self-caused. Only God. In fact, if anything else had created Him, that thing would be God. This is a difficult concept for our minds since everything else we will ever encounter comes from something other than itself. The Bible says, “In the beginning, God.” He was already there.

Self-sufficiency: 

The Bible says that God has life in Himself (see John 5:26). All other life in the universe is a gift from God. He has no needs and there is no way He can improve. To God, nothing else is necessary. He does not need our help with anything, but because of His grace and love, He allows us to be a part of advancing His plan on earth and being a blessing to others. We are the ones who change, but never God. He is self-sufficient.

Justice: 

The perfect Judge where every decision He makes is just. The Bible says that God is just, but it is His character that defines what being just really is. He does not conform to some outside criteria. Being just brings moral equity to everyone. When there are evil acts, justice demands there be a penalty. Since God is perfect and has never done evil, no penalty would ever be necessary; however, because of His love, God paid the penalty for our evil deeds by going to the cross Himself. His justice needed to be satisfied, but He took care of it for all who will believe in Jesus.

Immutability: 

This simply means that God never changes. It is why the Bible says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Mercy: 

“Mercy is the attribute of God which disposes Him to be actively compassionate.” Since God’s justice is satisfied in Jesus, He is free to show mercy to all those who have chosen to follow Him. It will never end since it is a part of God’s nature. Mercy is the way He desires to relate to mankind, and He does so unless the person chooses to despise or ignore God at which time His justice becomes the prominent attribute.

Eternal: 

In some ways, this fact about God is similar to His self-existence. God always has been and will forever be, because God dwells in eternity. Time is His creation. It is why God can see the end from the beginning, and why He is never surprised by anything. If He were not eternal, God’s promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus would have little value.

Goodness: 

“The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men.” This attribute of God is why He bestows all the blessing He does on His followers. God’s actions define what goodness is, and we can easily see it in the way Jesus related to the people around Him.

Gracious: 

Undeserved merit/favor. God enjoys giving great gifts to those who love Him, even when they do not deserve it. Grace is the way we describe that inclination. Jesus Christ is the channel through which His grace moves. The Bible says, “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Omnipresence:

This theological term means “always present.” Since God is infinite, His being knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere. This truth is taught throughout the Bible as the phrase “I am with you always” is repeated 22 times in both the Old and New Testaments. These were even Jesus’ words of assurance just after giving the challenge to His disciples to take His message to the entire world. This is certainly a comforting truth for all who follow Jesus.

The above definitions from:

 (http://www.allaboutgod.com/attributes-of-god-2.htm)

·        Jesus commands His disciples to love one another

Jesus reveals the 2 greatest commandments: (Both have to do with Love)

Matthew 22:36-40 Living Bible (TLB)

³⁶ “Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ ^38-39 This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if you obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying all the others.”

·        For Believers: The depth of love followers of Jesus have for one another proves that they are Jesus’ disciples. Love shows that transformation and heart change have really having taken hold in their life. It is hard to like everyone, but we can still love those who we disagree with because God is teaching us to see everyone through the eyes of His supernatural love. God loves sinners and God sent Jesus to die for sinners.  If God didn’t love sinners we would all be in trouble. Yes, it is sometimes hard to love people who are different than we are, but if we do, we can shed the proper light on who God is and how much He wants to save His people. You see, love can have a domino effect; when people feel loved they themselves will tend to love others.

·        Peter’s love for Jesus inspires him to say that he will lay down his life for Him. We know Jesus willingly laid down His life for us:

The example for love:

1 John 3:16-18 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

·        Love requires action and commitment not just words

·        As followers of Jesus we are called to lay down our lives and live God-centered as opposed to self-centered. Our love for God is demonstrated by the way we obey His commands and includes the level of commitment to what God has called us to do.

Obedience to God is a way we can love Him:

1 John 5:3 New International Version (NIV)

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

2 John 6 New International Version (NIV)

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

There is a benefit for being obedient:

Luke 11:28 New International Version (NIV)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Again, the benefit of a Christ-centered life:

Matthew 16:25 New International Version (NIV)

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

·        Even though Jesus will leave His disciples He promises to return and bring them to the place He is going:

John 14:1-3 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

·        Jesus tells Peter He will deny Him Three times. We will study later that Peter did exactly what Jesus told Him.

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Obey the 2 greatest commandments.

·        Live a Christ-centered life.

·        Die to self-interest.

·        Love, do not hate.

·        Bless other with your Christ-centered heart.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to ponder:

·        How am I loving God and my neighbor?

·        Do I truly love and obey God’s Word?

·        Where in my life am I rebelling against God?

·        Will I trust the Holy Spirit to transform my heart and mind?

·        Will I love those with whom I disagree with?

·        Will I die to self-interest for the sake of God of what God has called me to do?

Have a great week…………….Dave

John Bible Study - Lesson 35

John Bible Study - Lesson 35

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 13:1-30 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned^[a] against me.’^[b]

¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

²² His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³ One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” ²⁸ But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. ³⁰ As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

John 13:1-30 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.^[a]2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,^[b]son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. ⁴ So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, ⁵ and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

⁶ When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

⁸ “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

⁹ Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

¹⁰ Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,^[c] to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹² After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. ¹⁴ And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁸ “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’^[d] 19 I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.^[e] 20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”

²¹ Now Jesus was deeply troubled,^[f] and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

²² The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean.²³ The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.^[g]24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” ²⁵ So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” ²⁸ None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. ²⁹ Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. ³⁰ So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·        Just before the time of the Passover celebration Jesus tells His disciples that that hour had come for Him to leave this world and be with the Father.

·        Judas, prompted by the devil, was about to betray Jesus.

·        During the evening meal Jesus washed the disciple’s feet.

·        Jesus explains to His disciples the symbolism behind washing their feet.

·        Jesus tells His disciples that one of them will betray Him.

·        Jesus tells Peter the one who will betray Him will be: “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” Jesus gives the bread to Judas.

·        Once Judas eats the bread Satan enters Him.

·        Jesus then tells Judas to hurry and go fulfill his plan to betray Him.

·        Nobody at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was the Treasurer, the other disciples thought Judas was going to pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.

·        Judas left immediately.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        It was time for Jesus to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.

Here is why we need salvation:

Isaiah 59:2 

But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.

Here is why God has a plan:

Romans 5:8   

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

Here is why we need God to save us: (We cannot earn our salvation)

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not of works, so that no one can boast.

Titus 3:5-7

he saved us, not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.

What we can do:

John 1:12   

But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children

1 John 1:9 New International Version (NIV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 10:9 New International Version (NIV)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

·        Jesus washes His disciple’s feet

·        Jesus demonstrates and explains the spiritual significance of washing His disciple’s feet.

Spiritual Cleansing – only Jesus could accomplish a true cleansing of anyone

·        With each person inheriting a sin nature we need daily renewal from the Holy Spirit who will convict us of sin/our violation of God’s perfect standards and helps us to turn away from the temptation to sin. Life for some will include daily confession but that is a good thing because it demonstrates that we are experiencing the assurance of our cleansing and forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 New International Version (NIV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

·        We are also forgiven in God’s sight through Jesus’ work on the cross, so when we do sin we do not lose our salvation. A follower of Jesus has been declared righteous by God. Based on what Jesus has done, God erases our guilt and sin. Therefore we are now in a right relationship with God and He includes us in His eternal family. 

Serving – Jesus demonstrates in a humble way how to serve others.

·        Jesus demonstrates the humble way His disciples should meet the needs of others.

·        Jesus said: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you”

·        Jesus said that His disciples would be blessed if they followed His example: “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

Ways in which we can symbolically wash the feet of others:

1.     Show genuine love for others

2.     Be willing to serve

3.     Defer to one another in humility

4.     Forgive one another

5.     Strengthen one another to overcome sin and bear one another’s burdens

6.     Surrender your rights for the sake of others

7.     Pray for one another

8.     Encourage one another to live for Christ

·        Judas’ decision to betray Jesus is an example of one who claims to know Jesus but attempts to use Him for self-serving reasons. We can see many examples of hypocrisy from some who claim they are working for the Lord yet take advantage of those who are able to be deceived.

·        Judas allowed Jesus to wash His feet but was never truly spiritually cleansed by Jesus.

·        Jesus knew and predicted that Judas would betray Him but He also knew God was going to use Judas to fulfill His plan of salvation.

·        In essence, Judas rejected Jesus and therefore rejected God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal life. Many today continue reject Jesus as the Messiah and the only way to eternal life.

·        Jesus warns His disciples that He would be betrayed by one of them.

·        The Bible tells us that Satan entered into Judas and was therefore influenced to follow through and betray Jesus.

·        We all must be concerned with the fact that those who are not saved by God can be influenced by Satan to do bad things. We are seeing many examples of this in today’s world.

·        In fact: the Bibles warns all of us of Satan’s plan:

1 Peter 5:8 New International Version (NIV)

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour

Here is what we should know about Satan:

John 8:44New International Version (NIV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 10:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life

How we can protect ourselves form Satan schemes:

Ephesians 6:11-16 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Live out your faith, honor God, and work for Him instead of against Him.

·        Discern the schemes of the enemy.

·        Pray continuously for God’s protection and wisdom.

·        Follow Jesus’ example and be a servant leader.

·        Be thankful for God’s plan of salvation and celebrate what God has done for you.

·        Share the faith and the joy of salvation that you have.   

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to ponder:

·        Are there any reasons why you might hide your faith?

·        Would you be willing to have an identity in Christ even though you might be persecuted?

·        Where in your life have you betrayed Jesus?

·        Do you realize how much Jesus loves you?

·        Are you willing to serve others?

·        How has your gift of faith enriched your life and the lives of others?

Have a great week…………….Dave